


Amanita Virosa

by Foxidermy



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Fae, Animal Abuse, Fae Hannibal Lecter, M/M, Young Hannibal Lecter, Young Will Graham
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26133874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxidermy/pseuds/Foxidermy
Summary: The new town Will's dads moved them too seems almost hostile to strangers, but don't worry he makes a friend in the one place he was told never to go, the woods that seem to surround  almost the whole town.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 10
Kudos: 195





	Amanita Virosa

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my first fic I've really ever posted anywhere but open to critique  
> Thank you so much Liz for Beta-ing for me!! :0

Will could already tell that this town didn’t like outsiders, and though Will was used to being an outsider he could tell this was different. He was used to the worst thing being his peers ignoring, or taunting him, and the occasional adult wanting to pin the blame on the ‘strange kid’ because it was easier than having to deal with the intricacies of small town politics, and actually having to punish the sheriffs or even the mayor's kid. But even still, this felt different.

It felt like the whole town knew something he didn’t, and because he wasn’t a part of the in-group, they didn’t need to tell him. They all eyed him with a level of suspicion he felt was odd for the frail mop headed 7 year old he was, but still they seemed to speak in hushed tones when they knew he was near. They seemed to trust Dad enough to let them work on their boats motors though, or maybe they were just desperate enough. And with work came an empty house. Dad couldn’t rely on the ‘it takes a village’ method of just getting the neighbor to keep an eye on him while he was at work. No matter how many times he said he could take care of himself, Dad still insisted on a sitter.

It's not like the sitter actually did anything. She'd let him come and go from the house as he pleased, maybe acknowledge him with a glance or two, few words had actually been exchanged between the two of them. She just sat on the couch watching their small TV with a shoddy signal, and was bitter that there was no money left for pizza.

Until one day, when he went out, he started heading for the thick woods that seemed to encroach on the whole town. It was the one place he had not explored yet. Since he tended to just go to the library the moment his dad left house, and the sitter settled into the spot she had made for herself on their couch, but its been getting harder to get there and back and actually have the time to enjoy himself before his dad got home to find a house with only the sitter in it.

The trees that made it up were tall, casting a long looming shadow over all that stood before them. Will's house, no matter the time of day, had always stood right out of its reach. He ventured forth into that shade. He hadn’t even made it that close to the forest's edge before he heard a loud shrill cry that almost made him jump out of his shoes. Will turned towards the source of the noise, and saw his babysitter making her way to him with a terrified look on her face. She clutched his wrist with a force that gave him the same fear she must've felt, and dragged him directly back into the house. When they entered, she seemed almost surprised with herself that she had just done that, yet sat him down and told him with a seriousness he never expected from her “You can’t go in the woods.” her voice was shaking a little.

When he tried to ask why he could feel the irritation radiating off of her. She just re-stated the simple rule with growing frustration, “Just!“ she took a moment to collect herself, taking a deep breath in and slowly releasing it ”Just don’t go in the woods OK?” She didn’t like the uncooperative look he was giving her, but what did she expect? He was just as irritated. “ You have to promise me,” she said, forcing eye contact between them. While Will was still frustrated, he saw she was just trying to help, and promised her he wouldn’t.

Everyday since he tried to look at the woods with suspicion, but they didn't feel as ominous as he thought they should feel. They almost felt welcoming. He could hear the soft bird calls coming from it, and saw the occasional squirrel leave the forest looking for a special place to hide their nuts for the winter that was fast approaching. But he kept his promise to her...well, at least he tried to.

There was a stray, Will had earned the trust of it through patience and slices of his lunch meat. Salami seemed to be his favorite, and it was Will's least so it worked out perfectly for the two. And he had earned his love through hours of petting and belly rubs. He named him Buster. He didn't know if the dog even knew that, but he always rushed over to the sound of his voice whenever he called for him.

One late autumn day, on his walk home from school, sounds of cheering and jeering not too far from him shook him from the reverie he let himself fall into. He noticed it was few of the older kids from his school, just a few grades above him. They often tried to rile him up, but he knew they were doing it to get the attention they weren’t getting at home. He knew this the way he always knew things: micro expressions, from the way they looked at him, always trying to gauge his response after they’d ask what they thought would cut him most. Usually something about the state of his clothes, and why couldn't his mom patch them up for him, knowing full well why. He never gave them the response they wanted, so they gave up. And instead, emptied the full contents of his book bag into the trash every other lunch time.

He strained his eye to see the source of their enjoyment; one had a rock in his hand, which he bounced a little before tossing it with a moderate force behind it. His eyes followed the trajectory of it as it landed right in front of its target: a cornered, cowering Buster. Will rushed from the sidewalk almost stumbling down the knoll to where they were, right by the forest's edge. He got to them just as another was picking up another sharper jagged rock. Will tried to throw all his weight onto him, but that wasn’t much, and he found himself being easily shrugged off. The third boy shoved him to the ground. The soil was softer than expected, but the kick to his stomach hurt as much as he'd anticipated. Will watched on, helplessly as the rock collided with the mutt’s head. The resulting yelp echoed through the clearing, bringing forth a furious wail from Will. Buster dragged himself to his feet and limped into the woods. Will didn't even think about it; he didn’t have to think about it, because his best friend was hurt and if he was in the “forbidden woods'', so was he. Will took a second to collect himself then took off running into the woods, hearing the kids laughing as he pushed on forward.

The adrenaline rush he had running in was long gone by now. Each step taking a little more effort than the last, keenly aware of the crunch of twigs and the rocks under his all too worn soles. He knows he’s been walking for hours, but still making no progress as he watched over time as the sun got lower in the sky, 'till he couldn’t see them behind the trees. None of this seemed right. He’s never had to doubt his memory before, but it seemed every 12 feet was just a repeat of the last 12 the smallest changes each time, but familiar landmarks popped up almost mocking him. Even when he tried to back track, he kept recognizing the exact same moss covered rock, and same gnarled tree, that ridiculously large, and intricate spider web - remembering that one well, as he had also ran directly into it one of these loops. And that boy- wait. That one was new.

The boy stood confident before him, encircled by the same elegant white mushrooms that he saw more and more in each loop. He had well combed dirty blonde hair, almost matching the color of the dead grass they both stood on. He wore a navy blue suit with matching shorts, and had long black socks almost meeting his knees. Still, it seemed terrible for the chilled weather they were in, and startlingly clean brown oxfords without a scuff and speck in sight. Will didn’t meet his eyes, though he felt the weight of the others on him, he instead chose to keep his gaze on the gaudy floral tie wrapped perfectly around his neck.

The stranger opened his mouth to speak, but not before Will could help his own words from spilling out “You shouldn’t be here!” This halted the blonde in whatever he was planning to say.  
The brunette wouldn’t say he looked shocked, but he did seem like he was reassessing Will - which Will admittedly didn’t know how to feel about. He couldn't get a read on him like he usually could with others, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.  
After a tick or two, the other finally spoke with an accented voice Will hadn’t expected and couldn’t place “And why’s that, if I might ask?” a slightly mocking tone.  
Will, who honestly really wanted to know the answer to that himself, too, responded lamely with.  
“ I was told not to come here. I assumed because it’s dangerous...so I guess I assumed it’d be dangerous for you, too?”

The boy looked amused as he asked “But you're here too, are you not?”  
Will, embarrassed but wanting to defend himself, almost yelped “Well I only came looking for my dog! He was hurt and-” Will began to realize he’s been searching in these woods for a long time. While Buster was still on his own, bleeding and probably scared. What if Buster was already-? He felt hot tears hit his frigid cheeks, and the strange boy watched as he shook a little. Looking less amused by the second, and seemed almost frozen in his eye-wide panic.

The blond quickly regained his composure,  
“We can look for him together if you’d like?” he looked at the other, who had extended him a warm smile and an outstretched hand. Will hesitated, but when he took it, the hand was even warmer than the smile.

As they walked together, everything actually started to look new. Unlike the repeating maze from before, but before he could think on that more, the boy pointed to a lump of messy fur close by. Will gasped, letting go of the boy's hand and running to the small mutt.

He dropped to his knees, hands shaking as they slowly reached for the softly breathing dog. Buster was cold, and barely acknowledged Will's touch, but he was there. And he was alive. The strange boy caught up, offering to look at the dog himself.  
Will was hesitant, but the confidence the other held in his eyes let him pass Buster over to him. The boy took it gently, pulling a handkerchief from his breast pocket, and tenderly dabbing at the dog's wounds. He then took something else from an inner pocket in his blazer - a small metal tin on which he opened. There was a salve inside that he quickly, and expertly, applied to the wounds.  
“There.” the boy said simply.

Buster was already starting to seem better, and though that didn’t seem quite right, Will was too happy to actually question it.

Although he seemed better, Will wasn’t taking any chances; he picked him up and held the stray close to his chest. He didn’t want him having to walk anymore. He turned to the other boy, really looking him in the eyes for the first time. His eyes were almost golden, even in this dim light, and so very intense Will almost wanted to look away - but he needed the boy to know how sincere he really was. “Thank you. Thank you for everything, really” the boy simply held up his hand in a modest move, which almost felt it should be beyond his years “It was truly nothing," the other replied “Just the polite thing to do."  
It’d been a while since someone had been this nice to Will. He felt so overwhelmed he pulled the other into a hug- and with the dog, it was more of a group hug. It took a second, or two, but the boy hugged back. Will noticed the red hue that blossomed on the other's cheeks, spreading quickly to his ears, but politely chalked it up the dropping temperature.

The forest was getting colder, starting to take on a bluer tone. The trees were just one uniform black silhouette surrounding them, and it was clear the sun had finally set. Will knew his Dad would be getting back soon, if he wasn’t already home, and so he reluctantly turned to the other boy, who without words having to be exchanged between them, understood him completely, taking the lead to guide Will back to the forest's edge.

When they got to the edge, the blonde pointedly took no step further. Halting Will too from passing over the invisible line, and a short silence was shared between them, Will breaking it with a question that has been plaguing him from the start “You never did tell me what you were doing in the woods?”  
The amber eyed boy smiled “This land is actually my family's. That's probably why you were told not to trespass, but know that you are always welcomed back dear friend.” Will felt his cheeks heat and muttered a thanks, finally crossing the imaginary barrier, yet finding himself turning around reluctant to end the moment just like that. He saw that the boy hadn't moved an inch, content in just watching him. He didn’t know why he was hesitating so much, but shouted out to the blonde  
“Will!”  
The boy seemed a little confused, until Will quickly clarified. “I forgot to say... My name's Will."  
The boy smiled wide, his uneven teeth showing “Hannibal.”

Will mirrored him smiling just as wide.


End file.
